Coin-controlled lung-tester.



N0. 635,607. Patgnted Oct. 24, I899.

. B, S. STEINFELD.

COIN CONTROLLED LUNG TESTER.

(Application filed Jim 3, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Shoat I (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

BARNY s. STEINEELD, on NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUIS MAASS, or SAME PLACE.

COIN-CONTROLLED LUNG-TESTER.

SPECIFIOATIONfor-ming part of Letters Patent No. 635,607, dated October 24, 1899.

Application filed January 3, 1 89 9.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BARNY S. STEINFELD, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Coin-Controlled Lung- Testers; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a face View of a coin-controlled lung-tester constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a broken perspective view of the operating mechanism; Fig. 3, a sectional View of the coin-releasing device; Fig. 4, a broken sectional view of the lower end of the cylinder and piston.

This invention relates to an improvement in coin-controlled lung-testers, and particularly to that kind in which the mechanism is released or placed in condition for operation by the weight of a coin, the object of the invention being a simple device which is normally out of position for operation, but which is opened and adapted for operation by the weight of a coin and simple means for releasing the coin after it has once performed the function of placing the mechanism in condition for operation; and it consists in the construction as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

The case A may be of any approved shape or construction, having a dial B and coin-slot 0. Within the case. is mounted a cylinder D, closed at its upper end and provided at its top and bottom with flanges a b, which set over vertical rods (1, which are mounted in the case, and which at their upper ends support an inverted-cup-shaped cap 6. Within the cylinder is a piston the rod E of which is provided at its lower end with arms f, which are secured to suitable posts g, whereby the piston is held in a vertical position. This piston is hollow, and its end extends through a transverse partition F. On one side of the cylinder D is a rack G, and mounted in the case in position to mesh therewith is a pinion H on a shaft I, said shaft extending outward through the case and carrying a pointer J,

Serial No. 700,880. (No model.)

adapted to sweep the dial B. Also mounted on the shaft I is a ratchet -wheel K, and mounted on a post L,which also forms a support for the shaft I, is a pawl M. One end m of this pawl engages with nthe ratchet K, so as to hold it against rotation in one direction, while the other end projects outward in position for engagement with the inner end of a lever N, which is pivoted to an arm N, secured to the post L, and which projects outward through the side of the case, beyond which it is formed with a yoke N to receive the mouthpiece O of an inlet-pipe O, which will be hereinafter described, the weight of the pipe and mouthpiece being sufficient to depress the lever N and lift the arm m of the pawl, so'as to throw the point m out of en gagement with the ratchet K, said pawl being normally held in position to engage the ratchet by a spring m Suitably mounted in the case is a valve P, having a stem P, with which the pipe 0 is connected. This valve opens into a tube Q, the passage thereto being opened or closed by a plug R, to

which plug is secured a coin-lever S, provided at one end with a weight S and at its opposite end With coin receiving fingers S which are normally in position just below the inner end of a chute C, which extends from the slot 0 in the case, and so that the weight of a coin at the finger end of the lever is suffrcient to turn the plug R and open the valve. In addition to the counterbalancing-weight S at one end of the lever S, I preferably provide a spring S the tendency of which is to lift the coin end of the lever and so assist in closing the valve. The tube Q leads to a coin-releasing device, which consists of a cylinder T, in the under side of which are two ports it, opening into a pipe U, which is connected with the valve-stem E. Within the cylinder is a tubular slide V, closed at its inner end, from which an arm V extends through the end of the cylinder T. In this slide is an opening V in position to register with the ports t 25' when the slide is moved inward. This slide is normally forced rearward by a spring W, arranged within the cylinder between its inner end and the inner end of the slide. The arm-V stands in line with IOC to strike the edge of a coin X when the same shall have depressed the end of the lever S. Preferably I arrange a spring 77, between the disk E and the upper end of the cylinder D, the tendency of which is to force the cylinder downward.

The operation of the device is as follows: A coin being dropped through the slot 0 will descend through the chute G into the fingers S and depress the lever S and so as to turn the plug R to open the valve P. The tube 0' is removed from engagement with the yoke N of the lever N, which under the action of the spring m is lifted by the engagement of the end an of the pawl bearing upon its inner end, this movement of the pawl throwing the inner end m into engagement with the ratchet-wheel K, so as to prevent its rotation in one direction. The valve P being opened, a person can blow through the tube 0, the air passing through the valve into the tube Q and from thence to the cylinder T. The first pressure of the exhalation of air forces the slide T inward and so as to project the arm V into engagement with the edge of the coin in the holder and force it out of the fingers S into a suitable receptacle. After thus forcing the coin out of the fingers the end of the arm comes in contact with the fingers and so prevents the lever S from rising. The inward movement of the slide V brings the opening V into registration with the ports 25 t and permits the air to pass downward through the tube U and through the pistonstem E into the cylinder D and so as to lift the cylinder. This upward movement of the cylinder with its rack G rotates the pinion H, and hence rotates the shaft I and turns the pointer J. The pawl m, being in engagement with the ratchet K, prevents the return movement of the shaft 1. The moment the pressure of air ceases the release of pressure in the slide T permits the spring W to react to force the slide to its normal position and so close the port t, at the same time withdrawing the arm V and releasing the lever S, which under the action of its counterbalancing-weight S and the spring S will turn the plug R so as to close the valve P. This again places the machine out of condition for operation until another coin is inserted. Before again operating the machine the lever N should be depressed either by placing the mouthpiece O in the yoke N or by depressing it by hand and so as to lift the inner end of the lever to turn the pawl M and'throw its point m out of engagement with the ratchet K, whereby the shaft I is free to rotate in the opposite direction. This shaft being released, the Weight of the cylinder D, assisted by the action of the spring h,will cause it to descend to its normal position and turn the pointer to the zero point and ready to registerfor a second operation. It will thus be seen that as soon as the pressure is relieved after once starting it the device is thrown out of condition for further movement, so that but one exhalation can be registered, for the moment pressure is relieved the valve will be closed. As the tube V withdraws the closed end passes beyond the port 25, so as to permit the air in the pipe U to escape through the outer end of the cylinder around the arm V.

It is evident that in constructing my improved device certain changes in the arrangement of parts may be made, and I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the exact construction shown, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes as fall within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a vertically-movable cylinder, of a fixed hollow piston projecting thereinto, a rack on said cylinder, an indicating pointershaft having a pinion in mesh with said rack, a tube opening through the piston into said cylinder, and a coin-controlled valve for opening and closing the passage for air thereto, substantially as described.

2. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a vertically-arranged fixed piston, of a vertically-movable cylinder thereon, a rack on one side of the said cylinder, a pointer-shaft having a pinion in mesh with said rack, a ratchet-wheel also mounted on said shaft, a pawl mounted for engagement with said ratchet, a lever projecting outward through the case, and adapted at its inner end for moving said pawl, a tube opening through the piston into the cylinder, and a coin-controlled valve adapted to open or close the passage thereto, substantially as described.

3. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a fixed piston, of a verticallymovable cylinder thereon, pipes for the passage ofair thereto, a valve in said passage, the plug of which is connected with a coinoperated lever, and means operated by the passage of air for throwing the coin out of engagement with said lever, substantially as described.

4. In a coin-controlled apparatus, the combination with a fixed piston and verticallymovable cylinder thereon, air-passage tubes opening into said cylinder, a coin-controlled valve for opening and closing the passage through said tubes, and a coin-releasing device consisting of a cylinder and a slide therein normally closing the passage through said tubes and having an opening for clearing said passage, and an arm carried by said slide and projecting through said cylinder into line with the coin when the coin-lever is in its depressed position, substantially as described.

5. In a coin-controlled apparatus, a coinreleasing device comprising a cylinder and a slideltherein having an arm projecting from its inner end through the cylinder, a coin-lever having its coin-retaining end adapted to be depressed by the weight of a coin into line with said arm, which is adapted to be forced the weight of the coin depresses said lever to outward, whereby the coin is thrown from the open said valve, substantially as described. coin operated lever, substantially as de In testimony whereof I have signed this scribed. specification in the presence of two subscrib- 5 6. In a coin-controlledlung-tester, the coming witnesses.

bination with an indicator, of means for mov- 7 ing the same, including a tube, a valve in LARN1 STEINFELD' said tube, a rotatable plug in said valve, and Witnesses: a lever secured to said plug and provided at FRED. O. EARLE,

10 one end with coin-receiving fingers, whereby LILLIAN D. KELSEY. 

